Today, 67% of students and 82% of low-income students can’t read at grade level by the end of third grade. That’s when students are supposed to go from learning to read to reading to learn. It’s America’s number one education crisis and we know how to fix it.
Ignite Reading delivers one-to-one virtual tutoring that teaches every student the foundational skills they need to become a confident, fluent reader. We pair students who need extra support with expert reading tutors who provide daily, 15-minute, Science of Reading-based instruction that rapidly closes their decoding gaps. We focus on the foundational reading skills—phonics, phonemic awareness, and sight words—kids need to master so they can decode a sentence. Students in Ignite Reading’s program achieve over 2 weeks of reading skills growth per week of instruction, and notably all students achieve the same outstanding results including students with IEPs, multilingual learners, students of color and those receiving free or reduced-price lunch.
Ignite Reading is a mission-driven public benefit corporation. We believe we can do well for our team members and shareholders while we solve one of the nation’s biggest challenges. We believe we will be more successful with a diverse team and are seeking candidates who have lived experience related to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Your Role
As Ignite Reading’s Customer Marketing Manager, you will be responsible for developing our customer marketing strategy and leading initiatives that deepen customer relationships, drive engagement, and transform satisfied customers into loyal advocates. Ignite Reading works with multiple stakeholders including district leaders, teachers, and school staff. You will craft impactful programs and campaigns that speak to each persona, helping them understand the impact our 1:1 tutoring is having on students’ reading growth and ensuring they know they are deeply appreciated for the role they play. From email communications to customer materials to events, you will determine the right mix of tactics that amplify our brand voice among our different customer stakeholders, increase retention, and unlock organic growth opportunities. The ideal candidate has experience building strategy, is excellent at synthesizing the needs of internal teams that support customers, is a highly-skilled project manager, and has a track record of customer marketing in K-12 education that delivered tangible results. As the only customer marketing role, this position will operate as an individual contributor-leader with support from the marketing team and will report to the VP of Marketing.
Core Responsibilities
- Develop strategy for Ignite Reading’s customer marketing that deepens customers’ understanding of our work, drives engagement, increases customer NPS, and develops advocates.
- Identify the key performance indicators for measuring customer marketing success, analyze data to identify trends, and recommend strategies for improving retention.
- Conceptualize and execute tests to determine the right mix of customer marketing strategies.
- Operate as both a leader and individual contributor: write customer digital communications such as email and newsletters, oversee the development of customer support materials, and manage all customer marketing tactics.
- Collaborate with sales, customer success, and academics teams to identify and address customer pain points.
Competencies
- A minimum of 5 years of experience in customer marketing, lifecycle marketing, or related roles in K-12 education
- Proven track record in developing and managing customer advocacy and engagement programs
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Proficiency with marketing automation tools (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo) and CRM platforms. Ignite Reading uses HubSpot
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and generate actionable insights
- Passion for building strong customer relationships and fostering brand loyalty
At Ignite Reading, we’ve decided to embrace a transparent compensation structure for a few reasons:
To promote fairness and equity: This approach supports fairness within our structure. When everyone knows how compensation decisions are made, it reduces the likelihood of pay discrimination based on factors like gender, race, relationships, or negotiation skills.
To provide accountability for our approach: The same role receives the same compensation, with no negotiation.
To build trust within the organization: When employees understand how their compensation is determined, they are more likely to trust organizational structures and decisions, which can lead to overall better culture.
To support legal considerations: Many states are moving to requiring compensation listed on job descriptions and we want to follow these rules.
Salary: $100,000
We also ensure you have the tools you need to thrive both in and out of work.
- Employee Stock Options
- Medical, Dental, and Vision (80% employee coverage, 70% dependent coverage)
- 401K + matching
- Short-term disability (100% employer paid)
- Technology Stipend
- Unlimited PTO + 12 paid holidays
- Professional Development Stipend
- Wellness Reimbursement
- Internet Stipend
- 12 Weeks of Parental Leave
- Yearly Staff Retreat
- Voluntary Life Insurance
We believe in building and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace environment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer where all applicants are considered for employment without attention to color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. Research shows that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds often don't apply for roles if they don't meet all the criteria – unlike majority candidates meeting significantly fewer requirements. We strongly encourage you to apply if you’re interested!
We are seeking candidates who have lived experience related to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are a virtual organization with headquarters in the California Bay Area.
What We Do
When kids learn to read on time their opportunities in school and life improve profoundly. If a child cannot read by the time they are in third grade, they are four times less likely to graduate high school.* In 2022, only 33% of U.S. fourth graders and 31% of eighth graders were reading at grade level (National Assessment of Educational Progress reading assessment scores). Ignite Reading is on a mission to fix this.
Ignite Reading delivers one-to-one virtual tutoring that teaches K-8th graders the foundational skills they need to become confident, independent readers. We pair developing readers with expert reading tutors who provide daily, 15-minute, Science of Reading-based instruction that rapidly closes decoding gaps. Students across all demographics achieve the same outstanding results–an average of 2.4 weeks of reading skills growth per week of instruction–including students with IEPs, multilingual learners, students of color and those receiving free or reduced-price lunch. By ensuring all students master the foundational skills to fluently read any word, Ignite Reading empowers them to move forward and unlock everything school and life have to offer.
"Ignite Reading is one of the most, if not the most, successful interventions we have implemented in our district. The student results and program design are indisputable."
- Claudia Salvestrin, Assistant Superintendent, Red Bluff Union Elementary School District, CA
